Stade Brestois 29 : turning a historic european run into a fan data revolution

Some seasons change a club's trajectory forever. For Stade Brestois 29 (SB29), the 2024-25 Champions League campaign was more than just a sporting milestone; it was a foundational moment for the club's future. The "european nights" brought unprecedented global exposure, attracting tens of thousands of new supporters.

However, beyond the pitch, the strategic challenge was clear: how to transform the fleeting momentum of an exceptional season into a sustainable digital asset. To achieve this, Stade Brestois chose to invest in a high-performance sports crm strategy, leveraging the Arenametrix infrastructure.

A realistic diagnosis: the untapped power of fan data

Every successful build starts with a diagnosis. During the 2023–24 season, the club conducted an in-depth review of its crm practices.
At the time, SB29 relied on a crm tool that was underutilized and lacked a clear strategic framework. While a database existed,
the quality and qualification of contacts within the sports database were insufficient. Many key fields were incomplete or insufficiently enriched, making the database difficult to activate. Date of birth, postal code, purchase history — the completion rate of these critical fields was barely 20%. This fragmented database was unusable for a serious crm strategy. Thousands of supporters remained "anonymous," with no direct link to the club.

Fan engagement relied primarily on an organic approach, where supporters came to the club rather than the club actively reaching out to them. To shift towards a more proactive model, SB29 decided to implement a push marketing strategy, enabling the club to engage fans more effectively with targeted communications, independently of on-field performance. To support this transformation, the club switched to using Arenametrix CRM and marketing platform.

The Arenametrix ecosystem: connecting every touchpoint

Arenametrix’s mission was to structure SB29’s digital ecosystem by centralizing all data sources into a single, coherent platform.
This methodical project was built on four pillars:

• Live connections and real-time data flows: ticketing and merchandising systems are now synced with Arenametrix. Every transaction automatically enriches the fan profile. Data is no longer static; it is a living asset.
  

• GDPR compliance for sports: in a strict regulatory environment, Arenametrix secured data flows to ensure every piece of collected information is clean, compliant, and ready for use.

• Future-proofing with sso: the system is integrated with SB29’s future single sign-on (sso) system. This long-term vision ensures a seamless and unified digital fan experience across all platforms.

• New fan acquisition points: Arenametrix created several new entry points—contests, predictions, and dedicated forms. These lead generation tools capture supporters who were previously unknown to the club’s database.
  

This structuring effort also involved a decisive strategic choice: removing contacts with incorrect or unusable data, duplicates, and non-consented profiles, effectively reducing the database size by four.

This deliberate decision reflects a clear prioritization of data quality over volume, enabling the club to build a more reliable, engaged, and truly actionable database to support a high-performance crm strategy.

Segmentation: turning insights into marketing action

A qualified database is a prerequisite, but fanbase activation is the ultimate goal. Using granular fan audience segmentation, SB29 now triggers hyper-personalized campaigns:

1. Premium match attendee : Using the nostalgia of major fixtures (e.g., games against PSG) to convert occasional spectators during upcoming high-profile matches. Triggering a personalized message referencing their previous stadium experience.
   
   
2. Converting buyers to season ticket holders : Automatically identifying fans who purchased 5 or 6 individual tickets to offer them a tailored membership, demonstrating the financial benefits of loyalty.
   
   
3. The new "Champions League" season fan : A specific segment receiving a progressive communication sequence designed to turn European euphoria into long-term commitment.
   
   
4. The fan reactivation campaign : Targeting inactive contacts with messages tailored to their history to bring them back to the stadium or at least in the club digital ecosystem.
   
   

Tangible growth and results

One year after the launch of the partnership, results are already visible. The database has grown by 14%—a healthy, qualitative increase built on real, engaged contacts rather than inflated volume. At the same time, the fan profile completion rate has risen from less than 20% to 70% of complete and actionable data. This significant improvement has fundamentally enhanced the club’s ability to activate its database. This is further reflected in a 19% increase in engaged fans, demonstrating that new acquisition touchpoints and activation campaigns are already strengthening the relationship between the club and its supporters.

Data as a commercial asset: a win for partners

Beyond the bond with supporters, 360-degree fan knowledge holds immense commercial value for sponsors. a club that can precisely describe its fan demographics and consumption habits becomes a targeted media channel. For SB29, this high-quality data opens unprecedented doors for fan database monetization. It allows the club to offer its commercial partners measurable, relevant, and highly effective activations.

Investing in the moment to prepare for the future

Stade Brestois 29’s approach shows strategic foresight. The champions league adventure could have been a fleeting spark. Instead, the leadership chose to invest in the club's digital and data transformation during this peak exposure.

By capturing history while structuring the future, SB29 ensures that today's success builds tomorrow's victories. It is a long-term vision that is essential in a football world often too focused on the weekend's score.